Carlbark, Oskar

Abstract [en]

This master thesis report describes the development and implementation results of a new standardised documentation method for the try-out process and a new run log for the try-out hardlines at Gestamp HardTech in Luleå, Sweden. Before the commencement of this work there was no standardised way of documenting the try-out of a new presshardening tool. This meant that there were communication deficiencies occuring continously at the company. It was difficult to tell what the status of a project/tool in the try-out process was. Further, there was no traceability in the try-out process, which meant that, for example it was difficult to know if the dimensions of the part deviated which try-out the parts had been manufactured. The run log that the operators at the try-out hardlines had required too much time to fill in and was difficult to handle, it required too much unnecessary information for the operators to enter. The operators also used a completely different system for entering the time in the hardline a specific project had utilised. The resulting documentation standard for the try-out is based on a so called database-document. This is a document that keeps track of all try-out runs of a tool and creates a new try-out document for each entry in the database’s log. It also creates a folder structure in order to keep track of different files and document versions. The database-document also connects the measuring instructions and measuring results to the try-out run the parts were produced. In the database-document all runs in the try-out are given a unique try-out number in order to obtain traceability in the whole process. Further on, the database-docuement presents the status and history of all try-out runs for a specific tool, which implies that anyone in the company can easily gain basic knowledge of the tool’s try-outprocess. The new run log for the operators has been minimised so that only the most essential information is documented. The useage of the run log has been simplified for the operators, so that everything can be documented by using a menu with buttons instead of manually entering information. Different statistics are automatically generated in the run log, depending on what has been entered by the operators during their daily work. Time statistics for each project is also displayed in the new run log. This may improve the project follow-ups and project quotation assessments in the future.After testing and implementing the new documentation standard for the try-out, all try-out engineers considered the documentation standard to be good or fairly good, and all try-out engineers also thought that the new documentation standard will help the tooling department at Gestamp HardTech. Furthermore, 80% of the try-out engineers thought the new documentation standard to improve both traceability and communication in the try-out process. The operators considered the new run log for the try-out hardlines to be an improvement, they considered it both easy and quick to operate.